The Lucky Few

When we saw this headline, “CRISPR Snips Away Extra Chromosomes, Offering New Hope for Down Syndrome Treatment,” we knew we had to discuss this article together. So that’s what we’re doing today. Here’s what we’re covering in this episode: The ethics of gene editing - What about other conditions with serious life-threatening effects? Why do some people assume that we need to “cure” Down syndrome?...

Raise your hand if the thought (or maybe even the memory) of potty training gives you anxiety! This parenting milestone sure brings up a lot of feelings, especially for those of us in the disability community. Here’s what we’re chatting about today: Micha’s potty training journey (including some behind-the-scenes voice notes and training tips!) The impact of a dual diagnosis (Down syndrome and aut...

If you’ve watched the news recently, you know that there are some HUGE changes happening in our government, especially with the Department of Education. We’re breaking it all down today with our guest host, Ashley Barlow! She’s a mother to a son with Down syndrome, special education attorney advocate, IEP expert, former teacher, current speaker and podcaster. We are so grateful she’s here to cover...

Here we are with a NEW season of The Lucky Few Podcast! Join us for this first episode back for some big life updates! From Mercedes: mother-daughter bonding with Sunny, braces, medical things From Micha: potty training for Ace, communication device debates, new therapies From Heather: her mother’s health, extracurriculars.. dances, musical theater, basketball From the pod: BONUS episodes that you...

UPDATE for 2025: First, we want to say how much this podcast community means to us. Over the past seven years, we’ve released 290 episodes, reaching millions of listeners worldwide. You’ve been with us through laughter, tears, challenges, growth, and friendships. This podcast exists because of you, and we’re deeply grateful for your support. To keep The Lucky Few Podcast thriving, we’ll be making...

UPDATE for 2025: First, we want to say how much this podcast community means to us. Over the past seven years, we’ve released 290 episodes, reaching millions of listeners worldwide. You’ve been with us through laughter, tears, challenges, growth, and friendships. This podcast exists because of you, and we’re deeply grateful for your support. To keep  The Lucky Few Podcast  thriving, we’ll be makin...

Happy New Year friends! Join us as we welcome back Amy Julia Becker and her daughter Penny for an inspiring conversation on redefining resolutions for growth instead of perfection. We’re talking about the power of celebrating small wins, how caregivers and families can support loved ones with Down syndrome in setting and achieving goals, and the transformative lessons we’ve learned from goal-setti...

It’s Christmas Eve, and whether you’re wrapping up last-minute gifts, squeezing in a classic Christmas movie, or running errands around town, we’re thrilled to be keeping you company! Today, we’re diving into something extra special to celebrate the season—a deeper look at the good news in our lives. In the Christmas tradition, there’s a powerful moment when the angel declares the arrival of Jesus...

Today, we’re bringing you some Holiday cheer as we head to the fictional and festive town of New Hope, TX. I have the honor and thrill of speaking with  Julia Barnett, the writer and director of the new holiday movie A Christmas in New Hope, and Mia Armstrong, one of the lead actors who plays Charlie, the daughter of a single mom fighting to save her home before Christmas. Mia, who has Down syndro...

How do you handle the grief that comes with unmet holiday expectations? As we dive into the holiday season, many of us wrestle with the dream of a “perfect” celebration that doesn’t match reality. In this episode, we’re having an honest conversation about releasing those high expectations, navigating the challenges and grief that come with letting go of the idealized holiday image, and discovering...

Today is Giving Tuesday! This year we’ve decided to switch up our traditional gift guide and bring you some of our favorite non-profit organizations doing incredible things for our community. In the spirit of Giving Tuesday, we encourage you to consider supporting their work with your time, resources, or donations. From advocacy to education to direct support, these organizations are transforming...

That’s right friends, we’ve got a BONUS episode for you this week! Today, we’re bringing you our closing keynote from the NDSS Adult Summit, we’re sharing our takeaways from the weekend, practical tips, and tools for building a future that people with Down syndrome deserve. From dreaming about employment and supporting Down syndrome-owned businesses to creating transition plans and embracing indep...

Friends, we had an epic time at the National Down Syndrome Adult Summit in Costa Mesa, CA! It’s a weekend of connection and educational sessions on a variety of topics that address adulthood and aging for the disability community. We had the honor of helping to launch the NDSS Town 21 PSA and spoke with Town 21 news anchor Jessica Kishner about her role in the video, her passion for music, and her...

We’ve talked about impactful PSAs that the Down syndrome community has put out over the years. Today we’re talking about the most recent PSA from our friends over at the National Down Syndrome Society, if you haven’t seen it already follow the link in our show notes and go watch their powerful, important, and impactful message and listen to some behind-the-scenes interviews on this weeks episode!...

Nutrition is key to a child's development, but for some children with Down syndrome, feeding challenges make it difficult to get the nutrition they need. That’s where tube feeding comes in. Today, we’re chatting with Dr. Lauren Fiechtner, Director of Nutrition at Mass General for Children, to talk about the different types of feeding tubes, why they are sometimes necessary, and the unique feeding...

Happy first week of November AND National Adoption Month! Today we’re thrilled to welcome Brady Murray, the passionate founder of RODS Heroes. Brady’s nonprofit has helped hundreds of children with Down syndrome find loving homes around the world. As a father of eleven—including two children with Down syndrome—Brady shares his personal journey with adoption, from being adopted himself to adopting...

This month we’ve celebrated Down Syndrome Awareness Month with episodes based on popular Google search topics! Today we’re joined by award-winning photographer Hilary Gauld and advocate Kate Herron for this episode all about answering the question: Can a person with Down syndrome Shift Narratives? In 2014, Hilary and Kate collaborated on a fundraising calendar featuring Kate's 10-month-old son, Ca...

This month we’re celebrating Down Syndrome Awareness Month with episodes based on popular Google search topics! On today’s episode, we’re answering the question: Can a person with Down syndrome find community & belonging? Today’s conversation is sparked by a recent blog post of Heather’s on why her daughter Macy didn’t attend homecoming this year, we’re chatting about what it truly means for s...

 This month we’re celebrating Down Syndrome Awareness Month with episodes based on popular Google search topics! Today we’re joined by Emily Kendall & Chad Mayer from EmpowerMe Living for this episode all about answering the question: Can a person with Down syndrome live independently? Today, we’re talking about the incredible work of EmpowerMe Living, a program designed to support individuals...

This month we’re celebrating Down Syndrome Awareness Month with episodes based on popular Google search topics! Today we’re joined by Erik & Emily Orton for this episode all about answering the question: Can a person with Down syndrome travel the world?  They’re sharing their incredible story of sailing the Caribbean, with their family of seven and how their daughter Lily, who has Down syndrom...

Friends, we’re coming to you with a BONUS episode this week. Over the years we’ve worked hard to provide you with topics that are helpful resources, to be sources of encouragement, and never shy away from difficult conversations. Today, we’re coming to you with a difficult, yet important conversation. This one is taken directly from comments by one of the Presidential candidates. We want to be cle...

Happy Down Syndrome Awareness Month!! We’re celebrating this month with episodes based on popular Google search topics about people with Down syndrome. Today we’re kicking off the celebration with Alex Bolden and Genevieve Thompson from the National Down Syndrome Society as we answer one of the most searched questions: Can a person with Down syndrome vote? Alex shares his experience voting for the...

We’re a week away from the start of Down Syndrome Awareness Month! Today we’re kicking off our celebration early with a conversation about common misconceptions people still have about Down syndrome. We’ll be celebrating next month by talking to self-advocates, organizations, and parents who are breaking down the stereotypes of some of the most Googled misconceptions about Down syndrome. We’re sha...

Today, we’re excited to chat with Amanda Owen, the founder and executive director of Puzzle Pieces! Amanda has dedicated her life to supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities—a passion deeply rooted in her own family’s experiences. She’s sharing her experience growing up with a sibling with disabilities and how the dynamic has evolved as an adult that led to her journey of starting a n...

Friends, you know we ask all the questions…even if we don’t have all the answers! Today, we're diving into a topic that hits close to home for many of us—volunteering. We're asking some tough questions: What happens when volunteering becomes more about extra credit or resume-building? How does this culture impact our efforts to shift harmful narratives? How can we make sure we teach our ki...